Zaida Bergroth Preps Pre-WWII Drama ‘The Wednesday Club’

Welcome to “The Wednesday Club,” where even good friends hide dark secrets.

The film, eyeing a 2026 shoot, will be directed by “Tove” helmer Zaida Bergroth and written by Ville Virtanen and Birthe Wingren. An established actor, Virtanen is known for Netflix’s “Bordertown” and will be seen next in Klaus Härö’s upcoming drama “Never Alone.”

Based on Kjell Westö’s award-winning novel, the story takes place in 1938 Helsinki. Just before the Second World War, Hitler’s actions elicit anger and admiration among the members of the titular gentleman’s club. 

As old friends of lawyer Claes Thune gather in his office, his new secretary, Matilda Wiik, recognizes a voice from her past. During the Finnish Civil War, she experienced horrors she has been trying her best to forget. Now, she’s facing her tormentor again, but he remains clueless.

“Kjell Westö is one of the most appreciated authors in Finland: he’s a living legend,” said Oskari Huttu, who produces for Helsinki-based Lucy Loves Drama.

“For us, adapting this novel is a big deal. Working with Zaida is a big deal. It’s such an ambitious project: a ‘natural’ pan-Scandinavian co-production. It will be shot in Swedish, and we’ve had a lot of interest from international actors already.”

The “intelligent suspense drama” will be presented at Haugesund’s Nordic Co-Production Market during the New Nordic Films industry event. It will also pose a new challenge for Bergroth, known for the 2020 Tove Jansson biopic, “The Good Son” and “Miami.”

“I used to focus more on character studies. Here, we have a group of childhood friends and an exciting female lead, but there’s also this classic whodunnit structure. I haven’t done anything like this before,” she admitted.

Despite its period setting, “The Wednesday Club” is bound to raise uncomfortably yet timely questions.

“I want it to feel close to us. As close as possible,” promised Bergroth.

“For me, that’s the only possible approach: I always need to make it personal and make a film feel my own. There are all these parallels to the present day; war is so close, and it’s interesting to see what’s happening in this kind of political climate. Suddenly, we are willing to bend so many principles – also when it comes to human rights,” she said, mentioning a new law allowing Finland to turn asylum seekers away at its eastern border with Russia, which left her feeling “troubled.”

“What are we willing to sacrifice? It’s a complex question, but even when we are worrying about our nation’s safety, we need to keep a clear head. That’s why this film is so intriguing. We don’t know what kind of historical ‘edge’ we are standing on right now and back then, nor did they.”

Huttu added: “These edgy elements make it feel modern. It’s not some ‘dusty’ period film. These friends are constantly arguing about politics and we see this kind of divide everywhere now.”

“I grew up in a place known as ‘the skinhead capital of Finland.’ It was all about ‘us’ versus ‘them.’ I started to wonder how I even managed to choose a side. But if I was in Europe in the 1930s, knowing what people knew then, which side would I be on?”

Their torn protagonist Matilda, pondering revenge, will also need to make up her mind.

“When there’s a threat, it’s all too easy to answer violence with violence. So what is she going to do?” teased Huttu, while Bergroth turns to a certain Master of Suspense for guidance. 

“Alfred Hitchcock was so important to me when I first got into filmmaking. I can’t believe I finally get to play with all that. It’s a new kind of challenge and one that feels really important,” she observed.  

“I think [this story] will resonate with others because all these nationalistic forces have been rearing their heads all over the world. It’s local, but it’s definitely universal.”